Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Port Snags Hit Soymeal Export

NEW DELHI: Transport bottlenecks have slowed exports of soyameal from India but the delays were unlikely to dent an expected jump in overseas sales in the current crop year, a senior industry official said on Tuesday.

A shortage of rail freight wagons, and congestion and berthing delays at ports had hit shipments, Rajesh Agrawal, co-ordinator of the Soyabean Processors’ Association of India, said in Indore, a hub for the trade.

“Imports of fertiliser and coal are being given preference. Iron ore exports are also taking place,” he said, adding “We were expecting 4 to 4.5 million tonnes of soyameal exports in the year that started in October.

Despite delays in shipments this should happen,” he added. India exported about 3.4 million tonnes of soyameal in the year that ended in September 2007. Traders said soyameal exports were being contracted at $425-430 per tonne and the market continued to be firm.

Agrawal said ships were waiting for long periods at Kandla port in Gujarat, JNPT in Maharashtra and the southern port of Vishakapatnam, from where the bulk of soyameal exports take place.

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